New Jersey High School Debuts Auditorium Renovation, Technical Upgrades

Plainfield High School in Plainfield, N.J., recently completed a series of construction projects including an auditorium renovation, a new eSports gaming arena, and a black-box theater, according to a news release. The school partnered with PureTek Group to install the Pliant Technologies CrewCom professional wireless intercom system, providing full coverage and clear communication across all new spaces.

The auditorium and black box theater are on one side of the building and the eSports arena made up of two adjacent classrooms on the other. The intercom system’s coverage capabilities have provided major benefits in practice, according to the news release.

Plainfield High School Auditorium
Photo courtesy of Pliant Technologies

“The eSports arena has only enough space for gamers and coaches, so for tournaments, the auditorium serves as a viewing area for audiences,” said PureTek Group Co-Founder and President Dan Litvin. “To achieve a collaborative performance, communication is key, so reliable coverage from a distance is a necessity. With Pliant, production personnel at the school are able to communicate clearly from the eSports arena all the way to the backstage booth in the auditorium.”

The intercom system uses “one CrewCom 2+2 Control Unit (CCU), three CrewCom 900MHz Radio Transceivers (RTs), seven CrewCom 900MHz 2-Volume/2-Conference Radio Packs with seven SmartBoom PRO single-ear headsets,” and accessories like a drop-in radio pack, battery charger, and supply cords.

Plainfield High School Backstage Auditorium Booth
Photo courtesy of Pliant Technologies

The system’s ability to use multiple channels has also worked in the school’s favor. Booth operators, auditorium operators, the backstage area, and eSports broadcasting personnel can all communicate among each other on separate feeds to have single conversations, the news release reports.

“We now have cutting-edge technology, and we’re very excited that our students have the opportunity to be very hands-on in terms of learning the equipment,” said Jean Gordon, Plainfield Public Schools’ Chief of Instruction and Programs. “We are now offering our students a new skillset that they can take out into the world.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • All Surfaces Announces New Director of Commercial Business Development

    Surface solutions provider All Surfaces recently announced that it has hired a new Director of Commercial Business Development in Torie Bonafede. Bonafede will work to build the company’s market presence in various categories and drive strategic initiatives to expand its commercial sales portfolio.

  • Virginia District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) in Prince William County, Va., recently broke ground on Occoquan Elementary School, according to a news release. The new facility will become the district’s first net-zero school and replace its oldest facility. The school is scheduled to open for the fall 2026 semester.

  • Adelphi University Launches $100M Fundraising Campaign

    Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., recently launched The Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact, a $100-million fundraising initiative, at a gala on campus, according to a news release. The campaign is set to last through 2027 and fund six strategic priorities to improve success on campus.

  • American University Launches Sustainability Research Project

    American University in Washington, D.C., recently began a research project exploring the relationship between purchase decisions for university campuses and sustainability, according to a news release. The study seeks to explore how “greening” the purchases involved in student housing renovations, breaking ground on new facilities, buying new equipment and supplies, and more, can foster larger sustainability goals.

Digital Edition